Chapter 9
Surprise – can be good or bad but will almost always cause your heart to want to beat out of your chest
Aurora
I sigh as I cross the border into Winter Falls. Although the band members of Cash & the Sinners live here, I haven’t visited the town yet. I don’t need to be in the same town as them to be their assistant, although I do travel with them when they are on tour.
I notice the sign for The Inn on Main, the only place to stay in town, and turn left into the parking lot. I’m surprised by how few cars there are considering the owner claimed she was fully booked except for one suite.
Whatever. It doesn’t matter. Mike is paying for the room anyway. I convinced him I needed to be in Winter Falls since the band has settled here.
I walk to the entrance of the bed and breakfast. It reminds me of a Southern plantation with its big columns and wraparound porch. It’s cute. What I’ve seen of the town thus far is cute. I can understand why the band wanted to settle here.
Except Jett. He’s not going to settle anywhere as boring as a small town. His words. Not mine.
I enter through the front door and scan the area. It’s as adorable as the outside. The entry is wide with a small reception desk off to the side. To the other side is an entry to a cozy looking sitting room. In front of me is a small seating area with cookies and coffee.
I eye the cookies and my stomach rumbles in response.
“Help yourself,” the woman at the reception desk says. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Don’t mind if I do. I study the cookies. There’s a variety. Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and something with nuts. I pick up an oatmeal raisin. Oatmeal is healthy, isn’t it?
I bite into the cookie and moan. Holy cow, this is yummy.
The receptionist giggles. “I have the same reaction whenever I eat a cookie from Bake Me Happy. ”
“This cookie can bake me happy anytime.”
“I’m Ellery, the owner of The Inn on Main , and you must be Aurora.”
She holds out her hand and I wipe the cookie crumbs on my shirt before shaking hers.
“Sorry, I’ve been driving for days.”
“You’re fine.” She glances around me. “Where’s your luggage?”
“In the car, I didn’t feel up to dragging it inside.”
“Let me show you to your room. I’ll have someone deal with your luggage while you get settled.”
Her words are music to my ears. I’ve been schlepping my suitcases in and out of motels for three days. I’m ready to spend more than eight hours in one place.
We climb two sets of stairs before we reach the attic.
Ellery opens the door to the sole room on this floor. “The executive suite. It’s my favorite room. The bathroom is through there. You have a bathtub and a separate shower. You’ll find extra bedding in the closet but with the fireplace, you should be warm enough.”
Fireplace? I somehow missed the large fireplace across from the bed. There’s a comfy looking chair in front of it. This place is nearly as large as my apartment in San Diego. It’s definitely nicer.
“You said you’d be working while you’re here?”
I nod.
“There’s free Wi-Fi and if you need a printer, let me know. There’s also a kitchenette but breakfast is included in your nightly rate.”
The kitchenette isn’t much. A two-burner stove next to a sink with a cupboard above it. It’ll do for now.
“You can also eat at the diner or the brewery. They’re both open for lunch and dinner.”
I’ll skip the brewery since I’m not drinking for the foreseeable future, but I’m eager to try a small town diner. “Thank you.”
“I’ll leave you to settle in. I’ll have your luggage sent up.”
I cross to the bay window with its view over the town. Main Street stretches out in front of me. There aren’t any cars on the road but I didn’t expect any. Not after the number of times Jett complained about the ‘crazy environmental rules’ in Winter Falls.
Stores line the street. Judging by the names I can read – Naked Falls Brewing and Electric Vibes to name a few – the town is as quirky as I expected. I’d love to settle down in a small town. I have no desire to remain in San Diego where I can barely afford my rent and don’t know my neighbors.
And with Little Bean on the way, I’ll need a bigger place. Now is the perfect time to make a change. Maybe Winter Falls is the change? I don’t know. I haven’t decided what to do about the future yet. But I have six months to figure things out while my apartment is being sub-leased.
I rub a hand over my stomach. My baby bump isn’t very noticeable since I’m a curvy girl anyway, but I can’t stop myself from touching the area. It’s really happening. I’m having a baby.
As I watch Main Street, I notice a large group of people gather near several long tables set up around the square. I wonder what’s happening. Is this one of those pagan festivals Jett told me about?
“Knock! Knock!” Ellery hollers before entering and placing my suitcases next to the door.
“Do you know what’s going on?” I point outside to the town square.
“It’s a town celebration.”
“To celebrate what?”
She frowns. “You’re not a reporter, are you?”
I bark out a laugh. “Nope. And I hate the press more than you do.” I clear my throat. “I’m actually the personal assistant for Cash & the Sinners. ”
Ellery studies me. “How do I know you’re not lying and you’re actually one of the paparazzi? We kick all of those out of town. No hotel refunds.”
I dig out my phone and scan my pics until I find one of me with the band. “This good enough?”
“Wow.” She says as she studies the picture. “They look young here.”
“It was during their first tour. I’ve been their PA from the moment they signed with their current manager.” She hands my phone back to me and I scroll through the pictures to find a more recent one. “This was a few months ago.”
“You look hot with a guitar.”
“Too bad I can’t actually play one. I didn’t get a job at a managing firm as a gateway to fame. Mike hired me because I don’t take crap from anyone.” Including Jett, the supreme asshole of the universe.
“Good for you.” Ellery motions to the window. “The celebration is for Gibson. He got out of rehab today.”
“Today?” I consult my agenda. “He’s not supposed to get out for another five days. I better go speak to him and find out what’s happening.”
I grab my coat from the bed where I threw it. “This job never ends.”
“Tell me about it,” Ellery mutters.
I say my goodbyes and hurry out of the inn and down Main Street to where the party is happening. I don’t think a party is a good way to celebrate being sober but what do I know?
I scan the area for Gibson but my gaze gets stuck on Jett. He’s not alone.
My mouth gapes open at the vision in front of me. Jett is playing with a girl. I’d guess she’s around thirteen. As I watch, the girl touches him and yells You’re it. Jett bounds away but stops after a few steps to check she’s keeping up.
I rub my eyes. I must be seeing things. The Jett I know absolutely does not want anything to do with children. It’s why I’ve kept things secret from him for this long.
But the guilt started to eat at me. Whether or not Jett wants to be a part of this baby’s life, he has the right to know about Little Bean. I just hope he doesn’t destroy me in the meantime.
Enough about Jett. I’ll deal with him later. Gibson is my current priority. I spot him making out with a woman on the sidewalk. She must be Mercy.
I’ve been looking forward to meeting her. Too bad our first meeting will involve me yelling at her boyfriend for busting out of rehab early.
I march toward them.
“What the hell?” Jett’s shout has me stopping in my tracks. “What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?”
“Wow. How big is your ego? I’m not stalking you. I’m the PA for the band or did the bump on your head give you amnesia?”
The rest of the band and their partners gather around us. Awesome. An audience.
“You won’t be the PA any longer if I can help it,” Jett grumbles.
He couldn’t have hurt me more if he stabbed me in the heart with a rusty knife. What an asshole.
Where’s the man I spent a few days with in San Diego? The one who laughed at my jokes? The one who became obsessed with Peaky Blinders ? The one who showed me how gently he could make love to me?
I force those thoughts away. I know better than to search for the man Jett showed me when he was injured. That man is an illusion. The real Jett is a complete and utter asshole.
I throw my arms in the air. “Not this again. How many times are you going to try and get me fired?”
He doesn’t respond. Probably because he’s too busy staring at my bump.
“Are you pregnant?”
I place a protective hand over my stomach.
“You are. It better not be fucking mine,” he snarls.
“It’s yours, asshole!” I yell.
He opens his mouth to speak but then must think better of it. He snaps his mouth shut before whirling around and stalking off without saying another word.
My breath catches and tears well in my eyes. I knew he wouldn’t handle my being pregnant with his baby well, but this is worse than my worst nightmares.
I whirl around and rush away. I can’t face the rest of the band now.